Attorneys get taste of clients' plight
Crime: Lawyers arrested
Drive-through trip goes awry for pair.
Attorneys get taste of clients' plight

By Robert Medley

Published: September 13, 2008

WARR ACRES — Accused by police of being drunk, driving the wrong way in a fast-food drive-through lane, impersonating law enforcement and spitting on a police officer, an attorney was arrested Friday in Warr Acres.

Another attorney, who was reportedly the passenger in the wrong-way vehicle, was arrested and accused of public intoxication, according to police.

Attorney Lewis B. Moon, 42, and Oklahoma County assistant public defender David James Bedford, 32, were arrested about 1:40 a.m. at Whataburger, 7820 N MacArthur.

The restaurant manager called police and said the driver of a Cadillac Escalade nearly hit another car in the drive-through lane. The caller said the driver and passenger appeared intoxicated, Warr Acres Police Sgt. Alan Davidofsky said.

When a police officer arrived, Moon, the driver, was uncooperative and was "taken down,” Davidofsky said. He said Moon spit in an officer's face.

Davidofsky said Moon pulled out a badge from the Oklahoma County sheriff's office and claimed to be a deputy.

Sheriff's spokesman Mark Myers said the badge actually is known as a sheriff's "eagle badge.” The badges are given to people who support the sheriff's department, but they are not official law officer badges. Myers said the badges are not given to people who promise political support or financial contributions but are more of a "keepsake.”

On a videotape made at the Warr Acres Police Department, Moon is shown asking over and over to be taken to "county,” and cursing at police officers.

"While they were here, Moon was dropping names of judges and threatening to sue everyone. Then comments were made about tracking down the clerks who called him in,” Davidofsky said.

On the videotape, released to The Oklahoman by the Warr Acres Police Department, Moon said he was thrown against a wall and thrown into a police car.

He says he asked for ice for a swollen elbow but was not given any.

Moon was taken to the Oklahoma County jail and booked on complaints of having actual physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated, impersonating a law officer, resisting arrest and placing bodily fluids on a law officer, Davidofsky said. He said Moon refused to take a breath test to determine whether he was intoxicated.

Myers said Moon was released from the jail Friday morning on $8,000 bail.

Bedford was arrested on a complaint of public intoxication and released from jail early Friday after posting $245 bail on the Warr Acres municipal complaint, Myers said.

Bob Ravitz, Oklahoma County public defender, said Friday he was gathering details about Bedford's arrest.

"I am looking into Mr. Bedford's actions and after a thorough investigation I will determine what, if any action is appropriate,” Ravitz said.

Moon did not return telephone messages left at his law office Friday.